A 21-year-old Pennsylvania man is accused of breaking into the Hardee's in Middletown and stealing money from a safe soon after losing his job in December.

Middletown Police Lt. Michael Kelly reported Thursday that a four-month investigation into the 2012 burglary recently resulted in the arrest of Kevin Tilghman, who moved to Collingdale, Pa. soon after the break-in.

Kelly said detectives were able to convince the former Middletown resident to turn himself in to police on April 30.

The break-in occurred Dec. 23, just two days after Tilghman was fired for failing to show up for work, according to Tabitha Creed, the manager at the Hardee's Restaurant in the Dove Run Shopping Center.

"Someone forced their way into the drive-in window and basically took all the money out of the safe," she said.

Tilghman is charged with second-degree burglary, theft and conspiracy.

Police said he is being held at the Howard Young Correctional Institution in Wilmington on a $7,000 secured bond.

Tilghman is the second former Middletown Hardee's employee to be charged in connection with crimes committed at the restaurant since March.

Matthew Brennan, a 21-year-old Middletown resident, was arrested March 28, after allegedly stealing a co-worker's 2012 Ford Focus from the restaurant parking lot twice in a single week.

He is facing two counts of motor vehicle theft, three counts of theft under $1,500 and one count of criminal mischief.

"I've worked in Hardee's restaurants for 13 years and I've never had a situation with employees like the one that was here when I came to this store," Creed said. "I think we've taken care of the problem and things are running smoothly now."